Employment Success in Many Ways

There's More Than One Way to Stand at Work

Dr. Wicki working in the research lab

Dr. Jacqueline Wicki completed her postdoctoral year in spring of 2008 at UBC. Her specialty is biochemistry and her work so impressed her professor that she was immediately offered a position in research upon graduation. In his offer of employment to Dr. Wicki, he states that she may well be one of the few researchers in the world to perform this kind of work.

Dr. Wicki has Muscular Dystrophy. Over the years, the strength in her lower body has deteriorated to the point that she can no longer stand up at the lab station where she works as a researcher. It is a necessity of her position that she be able to stand while performing certain experiments.

Dr. Wicki is a researcher and in her research for her own personal life, discovered a specific hydraulic wheelchair, made in Scandinavia which would allow her the support she needed to work standing up at the lab tables at UBC. The major barrier: the wheelchair cost $20,000.

Dr. Wicki researched several service providers and discovered LinkUp Employment Services for Persons with Disabilities. LinkUp is a federally funded program which assists individuals with disabilities to locate and maintain employment which may include accessing assistive devices for work-related purposes. LinkUp was able to work with Motion Specialties, through funding provided by the Federal and Provincial governments, to access the wheelchair Dr. Wicki required to take up her post at UBC.

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I Want People to Know That I Work

Kris loving his job!

My name is Kris Pederson and I have been at Garth Homer since 2002.  I am part of Supported Employment Services. I like meeting people and working. I also like watching wrestling and going out to eat. In August 2006 I got my first paid job. Before I got my paid job I used to take courses in the Career Learning Center and do volunteer work. Two of the organizations I volunteered for were the Capital Families Association and the Esquimalt Neighborhood House. I also did a work experience with Roger’s Video and took a cash register training course through the Salvation Army. All these activities taught me how to be a good employee and to work hard.

In the spring of 2005 I wanted to get a paid job in food services. I started volunteering at a Bistro run by the Capital Families Association in Colwood. My job coach, my boss Lorna, and my co-worker Lucy all helped me learn the skills I would need to work as a dishwasher. I liked working at the Bistro because the people I worked with were nice and I got a free lunch. I took the skills I learned there and they helped me get my paid job.

At the beginning of August, I went with my job coach and met a man named Richard. He interviewed me to work for a company called the BC Non-Profit Catering Trust. I told Richard about the skills I had and let him know about my experience. He decided to give me a job working in a cafeteria in an office building. I wash the dishes, help bring deliveries from the loading dock, wash the tables, and take out garbage and recycling. Sometimes I sweep the floor. I really like my work and I do a good job because they need my help. Richard is a good boss. He’s also a chef. We like to sing to the radio and talk about wrestling while we work. For Christmas Richard bought a ticket for me to see wrestling at the SOFMC here in Victoria. We went on Feb. 11, 2007 and it was really good. I like my co-workers. It’s a nice place.

I really want people to know that I work. I like being out in the community. I used to be at the Garth Homer Centre a lot, but not anymore.

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Self-Employment is an Achievable Goal

Almira has partial paralysis due to meningitis and had been on income assistance since 2003 when she started the Triumph program. Originally from Bosnia, Almira holds a B.A. in Economics and has work experience as an office assistant, loans officer and pension administrator.

In order to achieve her goal of self-employment, Almira participated in a number of skillbuilding workshops, one-on-one coaching and paid work placements to gain experience in the labour market. She performed database entry and clerical support tasks in preparation for starting her own business as a virtual assistant. Almira’s Triumph team then helped her to apply for a federal self-employment program. Almira was admitted to the competitive program and is happy to say that she has been her own boss for over a year, providing freelance services such as list generation, graphic design, database management and general administrative tasks to a broad clientele.

Almira says that Triumph supported her in developing her personal skills as well as her professional abilities. “Triumph has helped me to discover myself, know myself. It’s not just about getting a job, but improving myself.” She found the communication and assertiveness workshops to be most beneficial: “I learned how to say no and express my feelings.” The goal-setting and problem-solving workshops also taught Almira to stay focused and achieve realistic goals. In addition, when Almira was experiencing high stress, Triumph enabled her to access counselling services.

Almira now has more confidence in her abilities and is grateful to her Triumph team for the ongoing support she received. “The Vocational Coaches always found time to help when I called…I will always recommend Triumph’s services.”

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Employment Success with Best Buy

David (not his real name), a cool, well-dressed young man, was accepted into THEO BC’s ACHIEVE program after completing a modified high school education. David’s diagnosis is a developmental disability and a mathematics disorder. By the end of the planning phase with his Employment Services Coordinator, his goal was to find a paying job that would combine his customer service skills with his computer skills.

David began working with the Job Developer in Supported Employment services and quickly demonstrated his ability to troubleshoot computer problems. Seeing a possible match, the Job Developer worked hard to get him an interview the local Best Buy’s “Geek Squad”: a team of computer whizzes whose expertise lies in helping people solve their computer woes.

The hiring manager at Best Buy, a cool fellow himself, sensed David’s nervousness in the interview and worked hard to put him at ease. Suddenly, he stopped the interview and asked David to come out on the store floor with him to demonstrate his computer knowledge and savvy to the store technicians. The result of David’s hands-on demonstration? The manager offered David a permanent job on the spot!

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A Team Success

Mike has disabilities that are both invisible and visible. He has a learning disability which is invisible, and a condition called Flat Affect, which means his face does not register emotions like most people. This can act as a visible barrier to success.

Before approaching the job placement specialist for assistance, Mike struggled with looking for work on his own. Since he did not look enthusiastic when applying for jobs due to his disability, he was misunderstood during his job searches. A new strategy needed to be created to meet his needs. For Mike, it was decided that the job placement specialist would accompany him when he applied for work and went on interviews. This enabled staff to address Mike’s seemingly lack of enthusiasm, and to explain how his learning disability would affect his job performance to prospective employers.

Through the efforts of Kwantlen’s job placement specialist, Mike was interviewed and hired by a large auto parts retailer to work in the warehouse. During Mike’s first couple of months he had some difficulty with placing stock in the proper place. To help him work through this difficulty, he was first observed at work and then offered solutions to remedy the situation. Mike is now settled happily in his job, and there is another satisfied employer.

“I’m very happy with the decision to hire Mike. I really appreciated the ongoing support given to Mike and my staff by the job placement specialist,” said Angela Loewen, Nordel Lordco Auto Parts’ manager.

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Crews@Work is producing results in Victoria BC.

Enthusiastic Crews@Work group at Rogers

In order to meet the needs of people living with the effects of a brain injury, who are unable to sustain independent employment, The Cridge Centre for the Family has partnered with Lynne Mann to bring the Crews@Work part-time supported work option to Victoria BC. With the recognition that many people with brain injuries need ongoing support to be successful we have created an ideal employer, implemented a disability specific training course at Camosun College and developed community allies to ensure a support network for the participants. Eleven students graduated from our first training in October 2006, all were hired and all are still employed.

One semester of training is offered at Camosun College and is designed specifically for people with brain injuries. Students participate in campus life, are assured of a high quality learning experience and have access to disability support. After graduating from Camosun, students are ready to work in a supported part time setting. Social enterprise is a movement that is committed to providing social benefit in the course of doing business.

There are two bottom lines—a financial one and a social one. Crews@Work ally, Miriam Byrne, a local entrepreneur and business leader, has created a social enterprise designed to be an ideal employer for workers with brain injuries. Miriam is able to structure the work setting by developing contracts that suit the abilities of the workers and to provide ongoing job support by training supervisors with the specific support needs of her workers. Ms. Byrne is committed to providing the social benefits of work, reduced poverty and increased social belonging for those living with the effects of a brain injury. The program has benefits reaching far beyond employment. Social determinants of health link vocation with health and quality of life. The World Health Organization lists the following social determinants of health: the social gradient, early life, social exclusion, unemployment, stress, social support, addictions, work, food and transportation (The Solid Facts, World Health Organization, 1998).

Except for early life, Crews@Work directly addresses all of these determinants. Becoming a wage earner elevates a person’s income and their position on the social gradient. Meaningful engagement with disabled and non-disabled peers at college and in the work place improves social inclusion. Work, employment, and social support are provided and participants are supported to access help to address lifestyle needs such as addictions, diet, transportation, healthcare and housing.

In order to ensure a complete support network for the participants, Crews@Work fosters relationships and alliances. Participants gain experience and confidence supporting their peers, involving the important people in their lives and expanding their support networks. Lynne Mann provides the program model, training materials and her mentorship. Camosun College provides training. Miriam’s social enterprise provides ongoing supported employment. Vocational supports, social workers, service coordinators and case managers ensure that participants are appropriately placed and monitored. The Cridge Centre for the Family provides program coordination, management and leadership. Together, we are creating outcomes that delight everyone.
Mark Fournier (mfournier@cridge.org), Cridge Centre for the Family
Program Facilitator & Instructor, Crews@Work
Reprinted with permission of Headline Magazine - Spring 2007 issue.

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